Dunn: Highest minimum wage in nation will harm rural businesses, workers

May 14, 2024

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on Tuesday issued the following statement after the King County Council pushed forward a controversial minimum wage ordinance for unincorporated King County, despite backlash from effected residents:

“I fear that this massive wage hike will harm, rather than help, my constituents. Since it only affects businesses in unincorporated King County, it gives rural communities the highest minimum wage in the nation, and arguably the world. Rural areas simply don’t have the existing economic engine that cities do to support this burden.

“Furthermore, many small businesses—which are the lifeblood of our economy and the primary job providers—simply won’t survive. This is bad policy, and not nearly nuanced enough to support small businesses and workers alike.”

Dunn introduced a “total compensation” amendment, which would have allowed tips, gratuities, bonuses, and money paid by an employer towards an employee’s health benefit plan to count toward the hourly minimum wage rate. King County Cities that have adopted minimum wage, including Seattle, currently have a total compensation model as a part of their minimum wage. Dunn also introduced an amendment that would have exempted rural areas from the increase. Both amendments failed.

The highest tier of the new minimum wage will begin $20.29 an hour, taking effect on Jan. 1, 2025 with annual increases to match inflation.